Research, develop, draft, and revise non-fiction lyric prose essays (30,000-50,000 words), and submit a publication query to a Minnesota literary press. Outcome will be achieved by word count of revised manuscript and by electronic or mail receipt showing the manuscript sample and query has been sent to a publisher in Minnesota. 2: Present new work and engage new community audiences at four venues in the Twin Cities metro and greater Minnesota. Outcomes will be measured through audience attendance and completed evaluation forms that ask audience if they have attended my readings before and if my work engaged them on a personal or cultural level.

Measurable Outcome(s)

I have drafted and revised a manuscript of Creative Non-fiction prose in the form of lyric essays, and I have queried a Minnesota publisher. In estimating a standard manuscript word count as a goal, I did not take into consideration that lyric prose is compact with fewer words. I found the word count goal irrelevant to the project achieving its purpose. Several times my revisions eliminated thousands of words that were initially created for it, but no longer fit the whole work as it developed. I took screenshots, but there's nowhere to upload here. 2: I was able to engage over 800 audience members. In settings in which the venue was shared with me, it was difficult for me to determine official audience numbers. At each event, I counted seats and made a note if the venue was at capacity when we began. At each event, the capacity was exceeded, however I used the initial number of seats. I was able to use an evaluation form a smaller event in Park Rapids.

Erdrich will develop a manuscript of lyric essays titled It Has Been My Privilege, on looking, but not being, white. She will present the new work at tribal colleges and cultural centers in four Minnesota communities.